38 APRIL 2017 ARCAD A NEWS Religious Instruction • Strong Academics • Cutting Edge Technology • Service Learning • Leadership Programs PE and Interscholastic Sports • Instrumental and Vocal Music • “Arts Attack” Program • School Nurse • Bus Transportation Available We’re proud of our gr aduating 8th gr aders! 96% OF THOSE THAT APPLIED TO PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS WERE ACCEPTED! CONGR ATULATIONS! 3901 East Indian School Road • 602-957-7010 • www.clsphx.org CHRIST LUTHERAN SCHOOL CHRISTIAN VALUES. QUALITY EDUCATION. Preschool through Grade 8 By Bruce G. Levitta ithout question, the Valley of the Sun is, and continues to be, the quintessential hotbed for culinary venues. Nowhere is that more evident than the ongoing torrent of new restaurants in Arcadia and the surrounding area. At one point a couple of years ago, an idea was floated around by a few restaurateurs to officially designate a portion of East Camelback Road as Restaurant Row, complete with its own sub-street signage. Alas, that effort never saw much traction though the idea was indeed novel. While the esteemed Camelback Corridor itself may be considered to have a significant chunk of restaurants of nearly every conceivable concept and service level — from fast food to fine dining, other nearby real estate is staking its own culinary claim. Neighboring Indian School Road, from about 28th to 56th St., continues to witness escalating restaurant growth. And then there is one street that some might coin Mini Restaurant Row. Astronomic culinary growth has recently prevailed along a newly gentrified north Central Phoenix hood within a one-mile stretch of asphalt on 7th St. from Camelback Road north to Bethany Home Road, with several restaurants having recently jumped into the frenzied culinary fray. Famed mathematician, astronomer and physicist, Sir Isaac Newton, memorialized this widely used idiom, “What goes up must come down.” Loosely interpreted in the context of restaurants, many succeed and remain lofty while a significant number of others implode for any number of reasons and forever disappear from our landscape. To be fair, long established eateries that eventually close their doors certainly do not always indicate failure. Like any other successful business, it could be easily attributed to time. Two clichés come to mind: “Nothing lasts forever” and “Change is inevitable.” Make no mistake, even when faced with a stacked deck, corporate culinary entities and independent restaurateurs alike don’t seem all that discouraged to take a leap of faith, albeit risky, to open new eateries locally and around the country. These lists tell a tale. The first contains a multitude of local-area eateries that have come and gone for any number of reasons over the past 20-plus years. The more encouraging list recognizes local eateries that have stood the test of time for at least 25 years and beyond. A handful have even reached 30, 40 years and even longer! It’s a safe bet to assume that after eyeballing the “Gone List,” many long- standing Valley residents will remark, “I remember that place!” Whether fondly or not, collectively we will never know. As for those notable eateries still active and successful, let’s hope they continue forward, despite the sheer and overwhelming competition that seemingly never ends. — Bruce G. Levitta is the retired founding editor-publisher of Camelback Corridor News Magazine. Currently he is an independent Special Memories Profile Biographer. The Valley’s ever-evolving restaurant world W Publisher’s Note: Below are some area eateries that Bruce G. Levitta found that have lasted at least 25 years. They are listed according to their number of years in business. The area covered is from 16th St. to 56th St. in the Arcadia area. Although we did our best to try and include all long-standing restaurants, there is always a chance that we may have inadvertently left one out. Let us know if you know of any we may have missed. El Charro 80 56th and Lincoln Pete’s Fish & Chips 70 44th and Indian School Miracle Mile Deli 64 16th and Camelback Tee Pee Mexican Food 59 43rd and Indian School Duck & Decanter 45 16th and Camelback Chicago Hamburger Co. 42 38th and Indian School Tomaso’s 40 32nd and Camelback Vincent’s on Camelback 31 40th and Camelback Greekfest 28 20th and Camelback Lon’s at the Hermosa 23 36th and Stanford 5 & Diner 28 16th and Camelback Christopher’s/Crush 27 24th and Camelback Keegan’s Grill 27 32nd and Camelback Streets of New York 25+ 44th and Camelback STANDING THE TEST OF TIME YEARS IN OPERATION Arcadia News 25 th Anniversary Feature

39 APRIL 2017 ARCAD A NEWS RESTAURANTS  GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN • A Taste of Philadelphia • Aiello’s • Angelo & Maxie’s • Arnie’s Deli • Baby Kay’s Cajun Kitchen • Bahama Breeze • Bamboo Club • Barmouche • Black Angus • Black Chili Grill • Bistro 24 (inside former Ritz-Carlton-Phoenix) • Blue Burrito Grille • Chap’s Ribs & Whiskey • Chevy’s Mexican Restaurant • Chili’s Grill & Bar • Cork ‘N Cleaver • Country Glazed Ham Co. • Coyote Springs Brewery & Café • Cucina! Cucina Italian Café • Deemo’s American Grill • Del Frisco’s Grille • Ed Debevic’s • Eddie Matney’s • Ellington’s (now Omaha Steakhouse in Embassy Suites/Biltmore) • 40th Street Grill • Felsen Haus • Fuddrucker’s • Garcia’s on Camelback • Hard Rock Café • Harris’ Restaurant (now Donovan’s Steakhouse) • Havana Café • Hollywood Deli • Hops! Bistro & Brewery • Houlihan’s Old Place • Houston’s (now Hillstone) • Hungry Hunter • Il Forno/Daniel’s • Iannucci’s Italian • Kool Hop • La Fontanella • La Madeleine French Bakery & Café • Lola Tapas • Lone Star Steak House • Lunt Avenue Marble Club • McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood • Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant • Marco Polo Supper Club • Mary Elaine’s at The Phoenician • Maizie’s Bistro • Milano’s • Milton’s • Morton’s the Steakhouse • My Big Fat Greek Restaurant • Nina L’Italiana Ristorante • Nixon’s • Norman’s Arizona • Nosh-A-Rye • ObeChine • Orangerie at the Arizona Biltmore • Oscar Taylor • Pasta Segio • Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen • Pizzeria Uno • Planet Hollywood • The Fish Market (now Bluewater Grill) • Radio Milano Café • RoxSand • Roy’s of Phoenix • Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse • Sam’s Café • Scholtzsky’s Deli • Sesame Inn • Spaghetti Western Pizzeria • Steamed Blues • Steamer’s Seafood • Souper Salad • T-Bone on Central • Tapas Papa Frita • Taylor’s Cafe • The Downside Grill • The French Corner • The Good Egg • The Eggery • The Grind • The News Café • The Velvet Turtle • Todai Japanese Restaurant • Tomatoes Bistro • Tony Roma’s a Place for Ribs • Tuchetti • Vatra Grillhouse • Victoria Station • Western Pizza • Windows on the Green (in The Phoenician Resort) • Zen 32 • Zona Rosa • Zorba’s Greek & Italian Restaurant Declaration – The names appearing in this list are most, but not all-inclusive of restaurants that have come and gone onto the local scene since 1990. As the retired editor-publisher of Camelback Corridor News Magazine, I tracked for 20-plus years an astonishing number of area eateries that came and went. That ever- growing list was published each spring in the magazine’s annual culinary edition. And what an absorbing read it was, especially for those following the churning culinary scene. Not surprisingly, nostalgia played a part with readers of a certain age who pined more for many of their dearly departed eateries as opposed to the plethora of new venues popping up like bunnies. — Bruce G. Levitta • McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood • Steamer’s Seafood • Taylor’s Cafe • The Eggery • Todai Japanese Restaurant • Vatra Grillhouse • Zen 32 • Maizie’s Bistro • My Big Fat Greek Restaurant • Nosh-A-Rye • Pasta Segio • Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse • The Fish Market (now Bluewater Grill) • Lone Star Steak House • Spaghetti Western Pizzeria • T-Bone on Central • The French Corner • The News Café • Tony Roma’s a Place for Ribs • Western Pizza • Zorba’s Greek & Italian Restaurant • Marco Polo Supper Club • Milton’s • Nixon’s • Orangerie at the Arizona Biltmore • RoxSand • Scholtzsky’s Deli • Pizzeria Uno